


Friend Or Foe

by empressarcana



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Little Red Riding Hood, Fairy Tale Elements, M/M, Tarot, sourinweek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 03:43:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3235019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressarcana/pseuds/empressarcana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sourinweek Day 1/Mythical Creatures, Firsts</p><p>Little Red, Little Red, be careful of whom you befriend. Big eyes, big mouth, big teeth, aren’t as friendly as you believe. The sun is setting, the time is now. Are you in or are you out? Friend or foe, the answer is clear, your fate is in the cards, pay close attention, my dear.<br/>(My dark and twisted rendition of Little Red Riding Hood featuring the boys from Free!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friend Or Foe

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, I dedicate this monster of a chapter to my mother. She passed away the day after I finished the last scene of this chapter. (Mom you were my world and no matter what I’m going to keep writing just like you told me to.) I promised myself after posting this chapter I would take turns writing my novel as well as this story. This AU has been in progress since November of last year and I have fallen in love with the world I’ve created. I have worked really hard on this story and want to share it with others. I also want to thank my spiritual pony sister [hinalilly](http://hinalilly.tumblr.com/) and my darling kouhai [ourlordandseivior](http://ourlordandseivior.tumblr.com) . They have both encouraged me to see this chapter through to the very end. I wasn't going to post this for Sourinweek because it's not finished, but I was excited to share with other Sourin fans the world I created in honor of the pairing. What better week to do it than Sourinweek?
> 
> If so inclined here are some tracks to listen to while reading this chapter: Scene 1 [Adrian von Ziegler, The Sealed Kingdom](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR28G204z5k), Scene 4 [Secret Garden, Fields of Fortune](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvlDyOUVWg4), and Scene 5 [Adrian von Ziegler, Mes Requies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH2tNRdjgr4). The images used in this chapter I found on google awhile back and don't have credit for them. Although any images used from the Tarot will be from the Rider Waite deck unless noted.
> 
> This is my first time posting on AO3 so if there are any obvious errors, kindly let me know. Please direct any and all messages to my tumblr [empressarcana](http://empressarcana.tumblr.com).

 

n the town of Lycanthia, the elders watched over the children closely, making sure the young ones were inside their homes before the sun set. The elders told the boys and girls not to stay outside their homes for long because the moment the sun went down, wild animals would prey on the first thing they set their eyes on. Most children listened to their elders, but some of them did not. The legend told in Lycanthia was that on a full moon a dark wolf would lead his pack to the defiant children of the town and eat them alive.

During the following full moon, one boy decided to stay out after sunset, yearning to uncover the truth behind the tales the elders told. He would wait in the forest, away from his home, hoping to finally satisfy his curiosity. The boy was sure the stories were created to strike fear in the hearts of the young and naive. The same boy had gathered a group of renegade children, close to his age, skeptical of the tellings, and waited after sunset.

A chill filled the air as the group’s leader observed his surroundings carefully, struggling to see what was past the darkness of the forest. He wouldn’t admit it, but the darkness seemed never-ending. The boy saw no light in sight, the moon wasn’t shining as bright either. He suddenly looked up at the sky and his eyes widened as he took in the sight of the blood red moon. It made sense now, causing the boy to back away slowly, bumping into one of the others in his group.

The rest of the children looked at the boy concerned, wondering whether they should go back home, but he was determined to learn the truth. The boy refused to be in the dark and blindly follow the words of the elders. The wind howled around them, causing one of the girls in the group to shiver as she pulled the red hood of her cloak closer to herself.

“Let’s go back,” another boy next to the girl with the red cloak said, attempting to persuade their leader to go back home.

“We’ve come this far,” the group’s leader replied. “We will get to the truth and expose the elders for their lies!” He spoke with conviction and knew deep down their journey would wield the answers they sought. The boy had known the urban legend was a lie and that there was nothing to fear. “It’s time to sing along to the rhyme,” he said loud enough for the rest of them to hear. The children listened and sang along to the nursery rhyme, making it clear they weren’t afraid of the big bad wolf.

The forest grew exceptionally quiet and the blood red moon shone brighter than before. The thought of children foolishly staying out after sunset to prove the falsehood of the wolf legend was laughable. No child should be lied to, especially not by planting a seed of fear in their hearts, restraining them from a few moments more out in the sun. Naturally, one thing was to defy the orders of the elders, another was to be ruled by a false tale of children being eaten alive. Yes, the boy knew the legend was a lie, it had to be.

“ _Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf_ , _the big bad wolf_ ,” the children continued to chant, keeping close to one another. They stopped moving as a distinct howl was heard, unlike the wind from moments ago. No, it wasn’t the wind at all, it was an animal.

“I want to go home,” one of the other children said, hiding behind their leader. Every step they took echoed around them, causing them to become more spooked.

The leader opened his mouth to speak, to say comforting words to his group, but the words never came. The children turned around, taking in the red glow surrounding the forest, huddled together, and not sure they wanted the truth anymore. The children stopped singing the song as they listened to the howls growing louder. “Stay close,” the group’s leader said, feeling the darkness swallowing them slowly.

The girl in the red cloak spoke loudly, her hands balled into fists, “We’re not afraid of you! You can’t do anything to us because we aren’t bad kids!”

“ _What are you doing?_ ” Another voice asked in a frantic whisper. The group’s leader didn’t understand the girl’s confident tone either. It wasn’t a mere legend any longer and the children were shaking from how frightened they were.

“The legend isn’t real,” the leader said in a quiet whine. “None of it is real.”

“You’re wrong, child,” a deep growl came from the edge of the forest. The same voice spoke up once more, sounding much closer than before, “What good are those eyes of yours if you don’t use them _properly_?” The wolf huffed.

The boy’s eyes widened holding back the inevitable terrified sobs, not knowing what to say in turn. He shook his head in doubt after seeing a dark figure on all fours, recognizing the shape of an animal. The legend was true, there before the group of renegade children was a wolf, staring back at them with bright amber eyes.

“You say you aren’t bad children,” the wolf mused, “yet, here you are away from home and in danger’s way. Tell me, little ones, give me a good reason for me not to _eat_ you.”

“We really have no meat, j-just l-look at us,” a nervous boy squeaked, continuing to back away from the group, tripping and falling to the ground. The growling intensified as the group’s leader turned to see another wolf salivating by the side of one of the other boys. The saliva dripped on the boy’s face, his eyes growing wider, “Oh m-my, w-what big t-teeth you have!”

The wolf snorted followed by a grunt as he moved closer to the boy’s face, opening his mouth wider mockingly, “All the better to _eat you_ with!”

Seeing the display before him, the leader had lunged toward the boy on the ground when a bellow filled the air. Not listening to any warnings, the leader had taken hold of one of the feral wolf’s hind legs. His reaction wasn’t the smartest because the dark wolf from the legend had given the signal for the others to attack as well. All the wolves that had been hiding, one by one, appeared from the shadows, surrounding the children, moving in closer and preparing to attack. The alleged leader was pushed back down to the ground as a wolf pounced on his back, causing him to scream, letting go of the other wolf’s leg. Soon the boy’s screams were heard in the dark forest of Lycanthia, along with the others. A shrill scream in particular almost caused the leader’s heart to stop.

The last image the boy saw was of his friends being torn to shreds by what was supposed to be a mere legend. The boy was supposed to prove the legend false, but he put his friends in danger. He cried out hoping for someone to hear him, but no one else was foolish enough to be out in the woods after sunset. The legend was supposed to be made up by the elders, to teach the children to obey those in command. The legend wasn’t supposed to be true.

The boy drowned himself in lukewarm tears as well as the blood slowly drizzling down his face. He couldn’t feel pain anymore, all he felt was regret. Softly, he sang along to the nursery rhyme, tuning out the cries and screams, “ _W-Who’s a-afraid of the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf?_ ”

* * *

 

Every morning led to a similar routine of getting out of bed, eating breakfast, and possibly, _maybe_ going out to explore the woods after the _mandatory_ morning lessons. Rin felt he was a lucky boy; he was fortunate to have a wonderful family who loved him. If the Tachibana family hadn’t come into his life when they had, Rin would probably not exist. Rin had been abandoned in the woods when he was an infant. All Rin remembered was Mrs. Tachibana picking him up and staring at him mortified and relieved all at once. Both Mr. and Mrs. Tachibana had decided to take Rin into their home to be cared for. Although Rin hadn’t been the only one rescued, in the woods under the rain there had been four others on the ground at the time as well. They were named and given a place to call home, like Rin. The Tachibanas already had a son; Makoto was a newborn as well and grew up with the others as his siblings. It didn’t take long for Rin to recognize how special his family was.

It hadn’t been easy to adapt in the beginning because the house was originally much smaller, but Makoto (the oldest of the siblings) helped his father make the house bigger for the rest of them. Rin wanted to help too, but because he hadn’t been the healthiest baby the Tachibanas didn’t want to put his well-being at risk. He hated it because all Rin wanted to do was contribute like the rest of his brothers. He admired everyone’s dedication but didn’t enjoy being left out either. Makoto and Haru were special in Rin’s eyes, always working to make the house look better and better each day. Haru usually helped Mrs. Tachibana with the house chores and the cooking when he wasn’t out with Makoto. He seemed to love watching her cook. Haru was always eager to learn from the recipes Mrs. Tachibana had put together over the years. Although if cooking was up to Haru, Rin was sure he’d make mackerel every day. Rin was grateful that wasn't the case.

While Makoto and Haru worked on the daily chores, Rei and Nagisa had a different agenda altogether. Most of the time, Rei stuck around reading or filling his notebook with radical looking equations that Rin for the life of him couldn’t understand (neither did Nagisa). He was a brain and it was an impressive sight. Although Rin also found it amusing when Nagisa would pester Rei into going out of the house, or asked him to help take care of Ren and Ran (Makoto’s baby brother and sister). They were quite the pair, but Rei thought they were a nuisance to watch over. Mrs. Tachibana usually took care of the babies, but Nagisa willingly volunteered to rid her of the caregiver responsibilities on _various_ occasions. By giving Mrs. Tachibana some time to herself, Nagisa in turn volunteered Rei as well for the task of babysitting. Rei wasn’t as pleased about the whole ordeal.

Gou was the only girl in the family other than Mrs. Tachibana, before Ran came along. She was and still is the person who spends the most time with Rin. When they were taken in by the Tachibanas, she made sure to always stay by Rin’s side. Gou accompanied Rin in his room and told him what it was like outdoors. She would tell him in detail about the daily weather, what the boys were doing, and even the tricks they would pull on Rei. It always amused Rin when Gou would impersonate Rei’s screeches.

All the members of the house had a particular job to do, except Rin, and it bothered him to no end. Thankfully by the time he turned eight, Rin began to grow stronger and was finally able to take in the sun’s beams again. He loved the sun, but it seemed not to like _him_ very much. Only a few years ago, the sun would hurt Rin’s eyes and he couldn’t stay outdoors for long. The warmth of the sun’s rays was comforting and Rin could feel a part of him slowly return. He never knew a part of him was missing to begin with, though. Mr. and Mrs. Tachibana began by letting him stay outside the house during the day for an hour, then an hour become two and two became three. Rin loved the outdoors, but more than that he loved the thought of _adventure_. He wanted to explore every nook and cranny of the forest. Naturally, Mrs. Tachibana disagreed with such a request, but Rin was still allowed to play outdoors under supervision so long as the sun was up. None of them were supposed to be out once the sun began to set, anyway.

Mr. Tachibana had adamantly warned them of wild animals that roam the forest where they live. The dangers were inevitable, they didn’t live near the city or anything of the sort where others could come to one’s aid. It would take Makoto an entire day to go to the nearest establishment to get supplies for the house. Due to the dangers lurking in the forest, the importance of staying inside one’s home after sunset was imperative to one’s survival.

Even so, Rin was careful to come back home before sunset and always in time for dinner. Now that he could go outdoors, unsupervised at that, Rin was about to take full advantage of it. Naturally, Mr. Tachibana told him not to stray too far from the house and Rin never did.

Still in his room, Rin patted his shirt down and stared at the red cape sprawled on his bed, smiling as he picked it up. The cloak had been a gift from Mrs. Tachibana and Rin cherished it just as much as his cards. The cape was handy now that Rin could go out and explore, but his cards have been with him since he learned to talk. They had also been a gift from Mrs. Tachibana. She saw how bored Rin was, spending most of his time inside the house, and thought maybe he could use something to keep him busy. Mrs. Tachibana knew how much Rin liked adventure and mystery; the cards she gave Rin kept his interest and entertained him. Rin enjoyed their company as well.

A knock on the door pulled Rin away from his thoughts as he answered instinctively, “Come in!”

The figure making his way into Rin’s room was Mr. Tachibana, in his work clothes, looking disheveled from the earlier lumber work, “What’s with that look of nostalgia on your face?” He chuckled making his way to Rin, placing a hand on his head to ruffle his hair, “You’re too young to look nostalgic.”

Rin pouted as he crossed his arms, “I’m not _that_ young. I’m already nine and a half,” he scoffed, “I’m practically a _teen_.”

The look on the older man’s face was one of clear amusement as he mimicked Rin, crossing his arms over his chest as well, “Enjoy your youth, son, you’ll never get those years back.” Rin understood what Mr. Tachibana meant, especially because Rin spent most of his early years away from the regular activities of a growing boy. Mr. Tachibana’s words held much truth to them, but all Rin wanted to do now was go out and explore. With a shrug and a look at Rin’s clothes, Mr. Tachibana seemed to know Rin was going to _try_ to dodge one of his classes with him. “You’re going out, huh?”

Rin smiled nervously, pretending to have forgotten his morning lessons, but Mr. Tachibana knew him all too well. He sighed, looking up at Mr. Tachibana, finding the right words to answer with, “I would like to,” Rin let a small whine escape him, “if it’s okay with you?”

“Well, you do have lessons this morning,” the man scratched at his chin pensively, “and you have been struggling with the material.”

“I’ll make it up,” Rin said quickly, desperately trying his best to convince his father figure and teacher to schedule the lesson for another time. “I mean,” he looked down at his feet, “it’s such a beautiful day. I kinda want to go out and enjoy it.”

With those words, Mr. Tachibana arched a brow, stifling a scoff, “Rin, every day is a beautiful day. You haven’t even gone downstairs for breakfast. You don’t want to upset mother now, do you?”

A blush crept up Rin’s cheeks as he looked back with wide eyes at Mr. Tachibana, “N-No, I wouldn’t.” Rin took a deep breath as he took in the pleasant smell of eggs being fried and toasted bread and other breakfast foods. His stomach grumbled and his face grew hotter, “I-I guess I am a bit hungry.”

“Good,” Mr. Tachibana smiled wide, “I’ll wait for you downstairs, then.” He turned toward the door, but before walking out Mr. Tachibana spoke once more, “Don’t forget to bring your textbook.”

Once he stepped out of the room, Rin hunched forward realizing he had lost that battle, pathetically. Even with Mr. Tachibana working six days a week, he always made time to give lessons to Rin and his siblings. Mrs. Tachibana helped Rin on his lessons as well, especially when Mr. Tachibana had to travel to Lycanthia for supplies. All the members of the family had designated roles and they played it well.

It felt strange for Rin sometimes, knowing that the Tachibanas weren’t his biological family, but Rin appreciated how they never kept secrets from him. The closest to a possible blood related sibling would be Gou. She looked very much like Rin, from her eyes to her hair. Gou’s features told one story, but Rin didn’t have a way of knowing whether they were related or not. He didn’t know of his origin, none of Rin’s siblings did, except Makoto because Rin was living in his home. Rin didn’t like being in the dark, he wanted to know the truth behind the mystery of that fateful rainy afternoon. _Who would abandon their newborn children?_

Maybe, a part of him wanted to go out on adventures in hope of finding an answer, _any_ answer, to anything. He had so many questions, but he didn’t know where to begin asking. Rin always stumbled with his words when he became excited, but he felt the others didn’t take him seriously because of that. Still holding his red cloak, Rin draped it over himself, “I _will_ find the answer.” He reached to grab his textbook, putting it inside his basket, with his special cards. The smell of food was causing Rin’s stomach to growl louder, so he decided to continue his quest for answers after breakfast before Nagisa declared it a personal challenge to eat Rin’s portion as well.

* * *

 

Going down the stairs, Rin spotted his family already sitting at the table for the exception of Haru. He was the one serving breakfast, which from the looks of it consisted of grilled mackerel. A small knowing smile appeared on Rin’s face as he made his way to them. He wished his family a good morning before sitting at his usual spot at the table, placing his basket on the floor by his chair. Each of them returned the morning greeting, except Haru, who stared at Rin with his usual blank expression.

After Haru served Mrs. Tachibana, he walked to Rin slipping his piece of mackerel off the spatula and on his plate. Haru spoke softly to Rin as he put the spatula back on the pan, “You’re late to breakfast, _again_.”

Rin felt the heat rush to his cheeks in embarrassment and possibly a hint of annoyance as well, “I was organizing some things upstairs,” he turned his head to look up at Haru, “but I’m here now. The food smells great, by the way.” He noticed Haru’s cold stare lose its intensity, and a part of Rin knew he had broken down one of his brother’s many barriers. Getting Haru to smile was difficult, but Rin had his ways. His tactics weren’t always successful, but usually Rin could make Haru crack a smile. Teasingly, Rin added, “Mom let you make breakfast?”

Immediately, Rin saw Haru’s eyebrow twitch, and he was sure it had struck a nerve. Haru nodded as he looked over at Mrs. Tachibana, “Yes.” Usually, Mrs. Tachibana asked for Haru’s help in making meals, but she had never given him the responsibility of doing everything himself. Rin noticed how important serving breakfast was to Haru, so of course he had been offended that Rin was late.

The rest of the family beamed brightly as they took a bite from their breakfast and looked over at Haru happily. Mrs. Tachibana smiled wide, covering her mouth as she finished chewing, “Haruka, dear, this is _delicious_. Thank you so much for taking the time to make breakfast for us.”

It amused Rin to see how red Haru’s face had become from the compliment. Still keeping his voice low, Haru mouthed a ‘thank-you’ in return. He made his way to the kitchen, placing the pan in the sink to wash later, and made his way to his chair next to Makoto.

“Haru-chan, the food is _sooooo gooooood!_ ” Nagisa squealed loudly as he opened his mouth to bite into a piece of his rolled omelet. The look on Rei’s face was one of disgust as he scolded him for chewing with his mouth open. Rin stifled a laugh, taking another bite and enjoying the look on everyone’s faces.

A shy voice broke the excited chatter as all eyes turned to Gou, “It really is _super duper_ yummy,” she beamed brightly, moving a strand of hair behind her ear. The younger siblings looked back at Haru, observing him carefully, waiting for the inevitable. His mouth quirks into a slight smile, gratitude showing in his expression. Gou smiled wider, confidently adding to the conversation, “Maybe you can make some beef or pork next time, Haru!”

Her suggestion left Haru slumping his shoulders forward, sighing heavily, “You sound like Rin.”

Gou giggled and her cheeks became a brighter shade of pink, “Oh? I do?” Rin chuckled and noticed how Haru’s words were a compliment to Gou more than an accusation.

They were usually lively in the morning, and it was always refreshing. Although the table soon grew silent as Rin curiously watched Mr. Tachibana open a letter, which he had retrieved from his pocket. Rin became curious and immediately wanted to know what its contents were. The look on Mr. Tachibana’s face was one of worry, so the message couldn’t be anything pleasant, Rin assumed. Mrs. Tachibana placed a hand on her husband’s shoulder, her mouth opening slightly, wanting to ask about the letter. Rin knew them though, and his foster parents never liked to worry the others. She stayed quiet, still waiting for Mr. Tachibana to say something, anything, to ease her worries.

“Is everything okay, dad?” Makoto asked, looking at his father curiously, probably itching to see the letter as much as Rin did.

Makoto never got an answer as Mr. Tachibana stood from his seat, excusing himself and telling Rin that they would have to postpone his lessons for another time. A part of Rin was glad, but another part of him was still curious about the sudden change in atmosphere. One moment there was laughter and teasing, while the other consisted of averted stares, and no one daring to question the abrupt change in mood. Rin could see how much it had bothered Makoto that his father ignored his question. He felt an uncomfortable feeling in his gut, watching Makoto’s eyes downcast and worried.

Fortunately, Mrs. Tachibana broke the tension-filled silence with another of her bright smiles, clearing her throat in the process, “Now kids, there’s nothing to worry about. I want you to finish your breakfast and go about your daily activities as normal. Okay?”

Rin nodded in agreement with the rest of his siblings, watching their mother wipe her mouth with a napkin. She stood from her chair, excused herself, and followed Mr. Tachibana into the study room. An exasperated sigh escaped Rin, looking over at the still worried Makoto. He didn’t know what to say to make him feel better, but Rin was sure staying cooped up inside the house wasn’t going to help anyone. “Hey,” Rin said brightly, getting everyone’s attention. “Why don’t we go play outside? Maybe, some sunshine would _brighten_ our moods. Get it? Sunshine, _brighten_ ,” he snorted.

Rin’s siblings stared at him as if he had grown three heads and possibly trying to ignore his clever use of puns. At least Nagisa and Gou had chuckled, but Makoto hadn’t acknowledged Rin. He huffed, “Mako,” Rin stood from his seat, grabbing his basket again. He pulled out the textbook he had brought from upstairs, smiling at his brother reassuringly, “Everything is going to be okay. Mom said so, she wouldn’t lie to us.” He placed the textbook on his chair, leaving it there for when he got back.

“Rin,” Makoto finally spoke, looking directly at his younger brother, sternly at first, but a smile soon appeared on his face, much like his mother. They did look alike. The thought suddenly caused Rin to frown because he knew as much as he called the Tachibanas mom and dad, they weren’t. None of them ever made Rin or the others feel any less part of the family though, quite the opposite. Still, Makoto was smiling, and Rin brought his attention back to the smile. “Thank you,” Makoto said as he brushed his fingers through his unruly brown hair.

Makoto’s words were sincere and Rin couldn’t help feeling bashful. He had no reason to doubt his family. They were more than a family, they were a team. When their parents weren’t present, Makoto always took charge, taking care of them as if he were an adult and not an eleven-year-old. No matter what, Rin felt protected while Makoto was around, and it was always a comforting thought. Rin smiled back and shook his head, “No need to thank me! Family stick together!” He shuffled around nervously, still holding the basket, “Well, uh,” Rin chuckled softly, “if no one is gonna join me, I’m gonna go explore!”

The blond boy in the corner, sitting next to the bespectacled boy squawked at Rin, “I want to go too! I want to explore the forest with you, Rinrin!”

Rei covered his ears at the blond’s loud tone, sighing in frustration, “I’m going to become deaf before my next birthday at this rate.”

“W-Wait, N-Nagisa,” Makoto stuttered as he stood from his seat, “you know you can’t go yet. Mom said when you’re older.”

Haru intervened as he finished his breakfast, picking up his and Makoto’s empty plates, “I don’t see why he can’t go,” he looked over at Rin, “Nagisa is not that much younger than Rin.”

“H-Haru!” Makoto sighed loudly and shook his head, “He can only tag along if he gets permission. Last time Nagisa went with mom and dad, he went off on his own and got lost.”

A pout formed on Nagisa’s face as he looked dejected at what his siblings were saying, “I saw a squirrel! It spoke to me! It told me to _follow_ it! He was obviously going to lead me to some sort of _treasure_ or something.”

“More like the squirrel led you to a cave and you cried from how _scary_ it was for days,” Rei added as he scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I did not!” Nagisa exclaimed, turning to Gou for her opinion, “Right, Gou-chan? I’m old enough to go with Rinrin, right?”

Gou had been quiet during the whole ridiculous argument, and her eyes focused on Rin instead. He wasn’t by his chair. During the couple of minutes his siblings had been arguing, Rin had slowly made his way to the door, pulling his cloak hood over his head. “Big bro,” Gou called out to Rin, “don’t leave me with them!”

“Ah, sorry sis,” Rin said apologetically, “I have business to attend to! Maybe, I can find that squirrel Nagisa was talking about. If there is treasure, I’ll be sure to find it!”

“What, _no way_!” The blond boy huffed as he glared at the redhead by the door, “that’s _my_ squirrel! If anyone is going to get that treasure,” he pointed a finger to his chest, “it’s going to be _me_!”

Rin grinned mischievously as he raised a brow, “Well, good luck with that Na-gi- _saaaaaa_! You can follow me if you’d like. Oh wait, that’s right,” his grin widened, “you can’t. _Oh, well_.” He turned to the door once more, twisting the knob, “Catch you guys later!” Rin made his way out the door, slamming it closed soon after, smiling pleased with himself. He held his basket close to his chest and took a step forward, “Time to go explori—” Rin tried taking another step, but he was held back by some form of sorcery. _Rin was sure of it!_ The small knot on the front of his cloak was pressing against his neck tightly causing Rin to cough awkwardly.

He looked back slowly and noticed his cloak had gotten caught with the door. In an embarrassed stupor, Rin opened the door again, poking his head inside, muttering mostly to himself, “I meant to do that.” He grabbed the rest of the red cloak and closed the door again, ignoring the laughter coming from inside.

* * *

 

The temptation to run through the forest was always present in Rin’s mind as he walked down the already familiar path. The sky was cloudy, with a chilly wind, but Rin’s red cloak kept him warm and safe. The trees hid Rin from the sun, but he could still see the rays shining brightly against the ground. The sun’s warmth was comforting to Rin, watching the shadow of the tree branches and stepping lightly on the leaves as he walked over them. Rin loved the sound of the leaves crunching under his shoes. He took a deep breath as he stopped, standing right in front of possibly the largest tree in the forest.

Rin’s eyes widened at its splendor, observing it closely, and smiling at the particular carvings that reached halfway up his chest. He knew the carvings because he was the one who had put them there. Rin knew better than to carve things on a tree, and after getting lectured by Gou, he never did it again. She said it hurt the tree and Rin didn’t want to hurt anyone, much less the tree that he saw as a companion at this point. He placed his basket on the ground, raising a hand to the tree’s trunk, slowly feeling over the rough bark. The tree had grown since Rin had first stumbled into the woods. He beamed proudly, looking up at its height, watching the sun shine down the tree as well.

“Everything is so peaceful out here,” Rin smiled wider as he leaned against the tree, moving his head back, “and for some odd reason it seems familiar somehow.” A sigh left the boy’s lips, letting himself slide down slowly to the ground, turning to look at his basket. He didn’t know why, but Rin was hit with a sense of nostalgia again. His father—Mr. Tachibana—had told him not to take his youth lightly, because time passed will never come back. Rin took another glance up at the sky, feeling a slight wind blow against the hood of his cloak, making it press against his cheek. He pulled the hood back, eyes focused on his basket, “I wonder what the letter said.” His voice trailed off at the thought, knowing well he had told his family there wasn’t anything to worry about. And again, there was Rin, concerned about the same thing his siblings had been concerned about.

He shook his head as he dug a hand into his basket, pulling out an embroidered red cloth and laying it down on the ground. Rin smiled wide staring at the detail of the embroidery, reaching for his deck of cards inside the basket as well. Turning his deck over, Rin admired the red and white checkered backs of the cards, like the first time he held them. Slowly, Rin shuffled the deck though the cards were still larger than his hands. The deck had seventy-eight cards and each card had a different story to tell. Rin wanted to know them all.

As he continued to shuffle the deck, a card fell on the embroidered cloth, facing up, and Rin’s eyes brightened in interest. “The six of cups,” he muttered softly to himself. The card had two figures painted, both held glances with a hint of familiarity, and Rin grew curious to whom they could be. He felt the two were talking about something fondly, and maybe they had a lot in common. Although Rin also noticed a figure in blue, walking away, from the two talking with each other. He didn’t pay it much mind because the other two Rin had his eye on seemed more interesting to him. He wanted to know their story, too.

Rin heard a twig snap accompanied by a short whine in the distance. Not knowing who it could be, Rin stood still holding the cards in his hands. He looked around the area, catching sight of the trees, nothing else. The forest grew quiet, it was strange because Rin was sure he had heard a noise. Again, he gave another look as he took a few steps forward, looking behind the trees, around the bushes and anything else in sight. An amusing thought came to Rin, wondering whether it had been the popular little squirrel Nagisa had grown so fond of, even if just for the critter’s treasure.

A part of Rin wanted to call out and ask who was there, but he wasn’t sure he’d get an answer. If Rin did get an answer in turn, he was afraid to think of whom or _what_ it might be. He did enjoy adventure, but he also very much valued his life. Although he knew he was far braver than that, so maybe Rin could muster the courage and ignore his hands shaking. Rin wasn’t going to get any answers unless he went on and _asked_ for an answer.

“I-Is there anyone there?” Rin huffed and asked curiously.

He heard a rustling of leaves nearby and Rin slowly tip-toed closer to the sound. He was sure the movement near the bushes meant there was something there and Rin was not about to ignore it, or run away scared. He could think of a thing or two his parents would say to him about walking blindly into a possible death trap, none favorable to his decision to seek adventure. Rin stood by the bushes, which have become still unlike moments ago. He moved closer to the bush, trying to see through the shrubs, and thinking maybe the rustling was a squirrel or a rabbit. It wasn’t a furry woodland creature that Rin saw though, not at all. He hadn’t been prepared to see a pair of bright blue-green eyes, which for a moment Rin stared at dumbfounded.

Once the pair of eyes blinked, Rin let a shrill scream escape him, one his brothers would surely make fun of for days, maybe weeks. The cards Rin had been holding flew out of his hands, flying in every direction, slowly falling one by one to the ground. Another scream filled the vast forest, causing Rin and the culprit hiding in the bushes to fall backward.

Rin pushed himself back with his hands and feet as far from the other scream he could manage. He stared at the bushes, daring whoever was there to come out. “I-I know there’s s-someone there! C-Come out,” Rin spat out feeling his heart beating rapidly and possibly out of his chest, “you coward!”

A frustrated sound was heard from the bushes, and Rin blinked a few times, desperately trying to see who or what had interrupted him. Slowly a boy emerged from the bushes, looking scratched up, and holding a similar confused look on his face. Rin arched a brow, observing the boy’s tattered clothes, and glancing at his feet. The boy had no shoes on. He cringed from how dirty the boy’s bare feet were, and Rin proceeded to wonder whether the boy knew of the purpose of footwear. The boy had dark hair and his appearance wasn’t one Rin would have expected. The same blue-green eyes from before looked up at Rin sternly, “I-I’m not a coward.”

Rin hadn’t expected to get such a response. A smile formed on Rin’s lips, taking a step forward carefully, realizing the culprit was a boy like him. He didn’t seem to pose any threat in Rin’s eyes, but the way the boy had answered did prove there was enough spunk to spare. “Why were you hiding in the bushes then?”

“I-I thought I saw a squirrel,” the dark-haired boy pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest, still looking at Rin intensely with those bright eyes of his. Rin couldn’t deny how radiant they looked in the sunlight but he soon dismissed the thought altogether. The boy looked around him, observing the mess of cards all over the ground. His eyes had widened in curiosity though, reaching down to pick up one of the cards, which caused Rin to rush toward him. He didn’t like anyone else touching his cards though it was Rin’s own fault the cards were scattered on the ground.

Rin reached for the other boy’s hand, attempting to snatch the card from him, “Leave them to me, I’ll pick them up. I made the mess.”

The boy chuckled as he shook his head, not letting Rin take his card back, and looking at the image quizzically. His eyes went wide once he saw what was on the card, and Rin felt his cheeks flush after seeing the image as well. In all the readings he had done in the past, Rin had never pulled out the Lovers card, not that he had been hoping to do so. “These people are naked,” the boy said bluntly with a confused tone to his words.

 

“I-I can explain,” Rin’s voice cracked, mortified as he shook his head, “really it doesn’t mean anything!”

“My family used to run around like this,” the boy replied, still looking at the card, “but, I found some clothes, thankfully. The clothes keep me warm.”

Rin was confused. He had heard of people who chose not to wear clothes, but Rin didn’t understand why. Maybe, the boy had come from a place where people preferred not to wear clothes. Rin couldn’t imagine leaving his house without clothes, much less his cloak, which he was so fond of. The redhead rubbed at the back of his neck, still confused, “Clothes are important,” he said.

The boy handed Rin the card and shrugged, “I suppose, so. I don’t get to keep them on often, though. My family says it’s pointless seeing as I,” he paused, “never mind.”

Rin found the topic of conversation disturbing. He took the card back into his hand, crouching to pick the others off the ground. He respected the boy’s wishes to end the awkward subject of clothes or _lack_ of clothes. Although it did make sense why the boy wasn’t wearing any shoes, whether it still seemed odd altogether. Rin had many things in mind to ask him, but he didn’t want to be too intrusive or rude. Instead, Rin chuckled as he stood, looking at the boy, “You’re weird.”

Immediately, the boy glared at Rin, scoffing as he took a step closer and purposely bumping into him, “Y-You’re _weirder_!” He looked offended when Rin broke into a fit of laughter. It wasn’t everyday Rin met someone in the middle of the forest, and one equally hot-headed as he was. “Stop laughing at me,” the boy moved closer to Rin’s face daring him to do something in return, “ _shorty_.”

“Hey!” Rin returned the glare, pushing his body against the _slightly_ taller boy, “If you’re going to pick fun at me, you can go back to wherever you came from.” What was his problem? Rin felt the boy must’ve not had many friends, considering his attitude. Still, it didn’t take long for Rin to notice the sad look on the boy’s face, which in turn made Rin feel bad for the way he had answered him. “I’m sorry,” Rin fumbled with his words and took a step back from the other, “I was rude. My parents always taught me to be polite,” he wondered aloud, “but they also told me never to talk to strangers.”

It took the dark-haired boy a minute to process Rin’s apology, which soon caused a lopsided smile to escape him, “I’m not a stranger, though.”

What did he mean? Rin had never seen the boy before in his life, to him that _definitely_ counted as a stranger. He arched a brow, curiously, “But you are! We’ve never met before, yet here I am talking to you,” Rin sighed, feeling confused again, “and I don’t know why.”

“I’ve seen you around,” the boy said softly, looking over at the tree Rin had been leaning against earlier, “always with those cards, too.”

Again, Rin thought back to what the boy had said about seeing a squirrel. Wasn’t that the reason he was hiding in the bushes? Rin smiled back nervously, “You’ve seen me around? How often do you go about hiding in bushes? Do you do that to others?” The questions were honest enough, but the boy turned a bright pink around his cheeks. Rin had embarrassed him and he tried his best not to laugh again, seeing as it upset him the last time. “You said you saw a squirrel?” Rin asked in hope of turning the conversation around from the awkward turn it had taken.

“I did,” sighing in frustration, the boy ran his fingers through his hair, “see the squirrel.” He smiled sheepishly shoving his hands into his pant pockets, “I’m S-Sousuke, by the way.”

Rin had suddenly realized, they had been talking this whole time without having had an introduction. He mimicked Sousuke’s smile, moving the cards to his other hand, and extending his now free hand to the boy, “I’m Rin! I have a girlie name, but I’m obviously a boy.”

“I couldn’t tell with that _girlie_ hair of yours,” the boy scoffed. Sousuke stared at the hand extended to him, looking unsure of what to do with it. He slowly pulled his own hand out of his pocket and took hold of Rin’s hand with his. He stood there holding Rin’s hand, looking up at him confused, but still not letting go, “Am I supposed to do something with it? This is kind of embarrassing.”

In his excitement of making a new friend, Rin shook his hand roughly, causing Sousuke’s arm to move with the handshake. “You’ve never shaken someone’s hand before?” Rin asked as he looked at Sousuke with wide eyes.

“Whoa!” Sousuke pulled away from the handshake, shaking his head, “I guess not. I’ve never needed to shake someone’s hand before.”

“B-But it’s a way of greeting people!” Rin exclaimed, sighing in disbelief, “How do you greet people, then?”

It took Sousuke a moment to answer Rin, letting go of his hand, and giving him a contemplative look. The proximity between the two was difficult for Rin to ignore, but Sousuke was again moving into Rin’s personal space. Sousuke still wore the same lopsided smile, “In my family,” he softly bumped his forehead with Rin’s own, “we do this. It lets the other know we’re home and back in the other’s care.”

Red. Rin saw red and felt the embarrassment make its way to his face, and he _hated_ Sousuke for it. He got Rin to turn different shades of pink for embarrassing him before, it had to be. The redhead gulped loudly and backed away an inch or so because the closeness felt warm and strange. He openly stuttered, trying to find words, any words that made sense, but they got lost in the overwhelming embarrassment he was feeling. Rin shouldn’t be embarrassed, Sousuke was only showing Rin how his family greeted one another. The gesture was sweet. “T-That’s nice,” Rin said fumbling his words, “but maybe we can have our own greeting? We’re friends now, right? We should have one!”

The expression on Sousuke’s face went from sudden confusion to mirroring Rin’s own excitement. He seemed just as surprised about creating a personal greeting with Rin as he was about shaking his hand. Many things got Rin thinking about Sousuke’s upbringing, but none of it mattered because Rin still wanted to befriend him. A slow nod was Sousuke’s response to Rin, smiling in return, “Sure, I guess. What did you have in mind?”

“Maybe, we can combine the two,” Rin said a matter-of-factly. “Give me a second, I’m going to put my cards back.” He turned to dash toward the basket still on the ground, carefully placing his deck of cards on the embroidered cloth. Wrapping the cards in the cloth, Rin put them inside the basket, standing once more to walk to Sousuke.

“Are those cards really that important to you?” Sousuke’s question took a minute to register, but Rin nodded in return, rousing Sousuke to press on, “You said we’re friends now, right? Will you one day let me touch t-them? T-The cards?”

Rin’s eyes went wide for a moment, laughing at Sousuke’s hesitance but understanding it the same. The redhead looked over at his basket, then back at Sousuke, with a slightly mischievous grin, “I dunno about that, you’d have to earn the cards trust first. They see things we don’t. They know things, we can’t even imagine. I guess,” he sighed, “it depends. I still don’t know them well enough and that makes me sad.” Rin wasn’t sure why he said that last bit, but he did feel a connection to his deck of cards. No one would understand, but Rin felt the cards were his friends, too. Rin always paid attention to the voice heard as he shuffled his cards, always listening to their story. He quickly shook his head, realizing he had gotten lost in his thoughts, watching Sousuke’s eyes full of curiosity and concern.

“I’ll take that as a _one day_ ,” Sousuke smirked, placing his hands on his hips.

“Yeah, one day,” Rin smiled brightly as he balled up his hand into a fist, bringing it up to Sousuke. The boy looked slightly confused, making Rin chuckle, “Do the same.” Hesitantly, Sousuke did as Rin said, and Rin slowly bumped his fist against Sousuke’s as well. “There,” the shorter of the two continued to grin, “now we’re officially friends.”

Still holding his fist up against Rin’s own, Sousuke grinned back at him, nodding as well, “Yeah!”

The sky was already a bright orange and Rin gasped at the realization. His father’s words echoed in his mind, reminding him that he was not supposed to stay out after sunset. “I’m sorry, I need to go,” Rin turned to pick up his basket, pulling his cloak hood over his head once more.

“B-But, why?” Sousuke asked, stuttering slightly as he took hold of Rin’s cape, not letting him sprint off.

“I have to go,” Rin said quickly glancing at Sousuke’s hand as he grabbed his cloak, “my father told me I have to be home before sunset.” He tried his best not to panic, even if Rin wasn’t that far from home. The thought alone was still unnerving, Rin had never stayed out this late before. He had lost track of time. “You shouldn’t be out this late either,” Rin turned to him, “your family would worry.”

Sousuke’s expression turned sour, letting go of the bright red cape he had clung to tightly seconds ago, “They won’t.”

“Of course, they would!” Rin said more high-pitched than usual. “Wild animals lurk around after sunset. Your family would worry for your safety.”

“I can fend for myself,” Sousuke said in a bitter tone. The topic of family hadn’t been a concern for Sousuke earlier, but Rin was sure something was bugging him now. He didn’t have time for that though, Rin needed to get back home. The look on Sousuke’s face was one of disappointment and it hurt Rin to look at. “Go, I’ll be fine.”

“I better see you here tomorrow,” Rin averted his gaze, trying to hide his own sulky expression. He brought his balled fist up once more, urging Sousuke to do the same, “Promise, okay?”

A warm smile returned to Sousuke’s face as he brought up his fist, bumping it against Rin’s once more, “It’s a promise.”

* * *

 

After getting a well-deserved scolding from Mrs. Tachibana, Rin apologized and told her he’d never stay out passed sunset again. The sun was still in the sky when Rin arrived home, but Haru was standing by the door wearing a dangerous look on his face. Rin knew he shouldn’t have stayed out in the woods passed his curfew, especially when his family was worried, but he hadn’t counted on meeting someone along the way. He should have known better, though. Still, Rin didn’t regret it because he made a friend. A smile formed on Rin’s face as he lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering what tomorrow might bring.

Makoto had also been upset with Rin for staying out later than he was supposed to, but he trusted Rin would have better judgment in the future. Rin wasn’t one to disappoint his family, but he had lost track of time. One moment Rin was rummaging the bushes in the middle of the forest, the next he was teased by a boy he had never met. Sousuke had mentioned he had seen Rin before, but it had been Rin’s first time seeing Sousuke. The boy knew how to hide in that case, because Rin hadn’t caught sight of him before. Still, Rin was grateful to make a new friend, seeing as he was too far from the closest town to meet anyone else. Lycanthia was the closest town and Rin had heard too many tall-tales to keep him away from there for a few more years.

With his arms behind his head, Rin yawned loudly feeling his eyes water, “I should sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day.” Rin’s breath hitched as he heard a howl coming from outside of his window, cringing at how close it sounded. His family’s warnings came to mind and Rin quickly sat up on his bed. His heart began to beat faster as he contemplated moving to check that his window was closed. Nagisa wouldn’t have left it open again, not after Rin specifically told him to close it. No, Rin was sure Nagisa hadn’t been to his room lately. Wild animals lurking about at night wasn’t uncommon, the Tachibanas did live in the middle of the woods. Sometimes Rin would have preferred living closer to town than the forest, because the fear of a wild animal coming into their home and possibly devouring them was not something he looked forward to.

Rin suddenly shivered and wrapped himself with his maroon-colored blanket, “I-It’s safe here. I have n-nothing to worry about.” The howling outside seemed closer than before, causing Rin to shut his eyes, and hoping the sounds would go away on their own. He took a deep breath, still hiding under his blanket, but jumped slightly at the loud thud. Rin wasn’t sure what was happening, but he decided it was best to give his room a quick look. The thud was in his room and something could have invaded his territory. If his room had been infiltrated, he had to do something about it, not hide under his covers.

Slowly, the boy lowered his blanket, opening his eyes to see nothing was in his room. Everything in his room was where it had been before Rin had closed his eyes, nothing seemed out of place. He turned to the small table by his bed, where he placed his basket and red cloak. He sighed in relief to see his precious items still on the table, untouched. When Rin turned his head, he came face to face with a hooded figure hovering over him. His eyes widened as he jumped backward, hitting his head against the wall, “W-What is going on? What are you!” Rin ignored how his head was going to hurt in the morning as he continued to stare wide-eyed at the hooded figure.

“Watch your head, Little Red,” the figure spoke, observing Rin carefully, “if you continue to play you might end up dead.”

Rin didn’t like what he was hearing or understand it for that matter. He didn’t want to carelessly say or do something to upset the _thing_ floating above him. Rin tried to see inside the hood over the figure’s head, but the figure had noticed what Rin was trying to do and didn’t like it. Did spirits exist? Was the figure a demon? Rin was intrigued but mortified as well. Granted, the words spoken by the spirit roused more questions in Rin’s head, and as much as he wanted them answered, Rin preferred to survive the night instead.

The spirit had moved away from Rin’s quivering body and was now at the other end of the room. Rin observed the figure’s hands, pulling down their hood slowly, with eyes glowing a brilliant white. “In four days’ time a decision will be made, blood of the traitor will be splayed. The cries will be heard, the truth obscured, but the choice will be yours and a price you shall pay.”

The demon-spirit _thing_ appearing in Rin’s room was terrifying enough, but now the _thing_ was spewing cryptic words that Rin didn’t understand. Rin wanted adventure, but he hadn’t signed up for some crazy demon to frighten the pajamas off him. With his eyes still wide, Rin stood on his bed and pointed an accusing finger at the spirit, “Why don’t you stop with the riddles and make some sense! W-Why are you here!”

“Little Red, I don’t pose a threat.” Rin realized the voice was female and her eyes stopped glowing white as well. She waved an arm in a slow motion, her palm facing Rin, “I’ve come to deliver my warning.” With a flick of her wrist, small ribbons of light materialized from her hands as she elegantly moved her fingers beckoning Rin. He didn’t move though, but Rin did keep his eyes fixed on the strings of light. Rin felt warm as the wisps of light circled him, turning toward the basket next to his bed.

The light wrapped around the deck of cards inside the basket, pulling them out slowly and placing the cards on top of Rin’s bed. Rin was in awe and unsure of what to say or do. He saw his deck of cards whisked away from the basket and plopped in front of him. None of what was happening made any sense, but Rin knew he wasn’t dreaming. He had already tried pinching himself awake and it didn’t work. “Uh, okay so the light show is nice and all, but this doesn’t answer anything,” Rin sputtered pathetically.

“The wheel of fate is turning, Little Red,” she flicked her other wrist, bringing her hands together as three cards rose from the deck on the bed. Rin gasped at the images in front of him, noticing they were as cryptic as the demon-light-spirit’s words. In the cards, there was a blindfolded woman, crossing two swords over her chest, and Rin felt a tinge of dread from the image. “Soon, you won’t be able to keep them out. They have protected you for so long, but their time is almost spent.”

 

  


“What are you talking about? Who are _they_? _Who_ has protected me? You’re not making sense, it’s annoying!” Rin’s voice broke into a confused sob, “I don’t like this at all.” Rin was worried by the impression he received from the cards. The strong wave of energy overwhelmed him. He had never felt such a sensation coming from his deck of cards before.

“I’m not here to answer, only to deliver.” The voice of the spirit fell flat, “Your fate is in your hands. Open your eyes, the answer is clear.” A string of light wrapped around the cards in front of Rin, wisping in his direction, and landing on the palm of his hand. “The cards tell a story, you know well, but only finding your own truth breaks the spell.”

The ribbons of light dissipated as well did the spirit, leaving Rin more distressed and confused. Nothing made sense to him, especially not the foreign figure that had appeared before him in the middle of the night. Rin wondered whether or not he had woken anyone with his shouting. He looked down at the cards he was still holding, showing the devil and tower. Rin never enjoyed seeing either card in readings, because they were terrifying to look at. Whatever was on its way, Rin had to make sure to be ready for it. Maybe, he could wake from this horrible nightmare and pretend none of it ever happened.

“I will find the answers,” Rin muttered, picking up his cards again and shuffling them before stuffing them back inside his basket. Shuffling the deck of cards always helped Rin relax, even if some cards fell out while he shuffled them. His hands weren’t big enough to shuffle without difficulty, but soon Rin won’t face that problem. He yawned again, hugging his deck of cards close to his chest, “You will help me, won’t you?” Rin spoke to his cards when no one was around to make fun of him. His siblings would tease Rin if they ever knew he did something so absurd.

Rin smiled as he placed the cards into his basket, knowing if he stayed up any longer, Haru would have to pour water on him to wake him. Many strange things happened and Rin hoped to keep track of them all. He had planned to meet his new friend tomorrow, so Rin had to sleep now. He needed to leave all the strange things behind.

“G’night,” Rin whispered softly as he lay on his pillow, wincing from when he had hurt his head earlier. He chuckled slightly and shrugged off the pain as he fluttered his eyes closed. It didn’t take long for Rin to fall asleep, but he could have sworn he saw a pink wisp of smoke coming from his basket. He shook his head, turning his body, and wrapping himself with his blanket. Rin was excited and nervous for what tomorrow might bring, but he was sure to be ready for it.

 


End file.
